Grave-vault.



No. 685,|26. I Patented Oct. 22, 1901.

. c. H. FRYER. a

GRAVE VAULT.

(Application filed Feb. 15, 1901.) I (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

NITED" STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLAYTON II. FRYER, OF PENNSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

G RAVE-VAU LT.

SPECIFIGATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 685,126, dated October 22, 1901.

Application filed February 15, 1901. Serial No. 47,481. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLAYTON H. FRYER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pennsburg, in the county of Montgomery and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grave-Vaults; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. v 7

My invention relates to grave or burial vaults, and has for its object to provide a grave or burial vault constructed of interchangeable sections.

Afurther object of my invention is to provide a grave or burial vault constructed of cement or other plastic material in such a manner that the samemay be readily transported.

Afurther object of my invention is to provide a grave or burial vault composed of interchangeable sections and constructed in such a manner that when the same are assembled'and cemented together they will produce a grave or burial vault of equal strength and impenetrability to a solid integral grave or burial vault.

With all these objects in view my invention consists in the novel construction of the interchangeable parts, but more particularly to the manner of cementing and tying the same together, and also in certain other novel features of construction and combination which will be hereinafter fully described and afterward specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a grave or burial vault constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the same. Fig. 3 is a top plan view, the top or covering slabs being removed. Fig. lis an elevation of one of the end slabs. Fig. 5 is an edge view of one of the interchangeable side slabs. Fig. 6 is a perspective viewof two side slabs, showing the dovetails therein. 1

Like numerals of reference indicate the same parts throughout the several figures,in which- 1 is my burial-vault constructed of the base or bottom slabs 2, the end slabs 3, side slabs 4, and the top or covering slabs 5. Said bottom slabs 2 are provided near the outer edges thereof with a groove 6, having a flat bottom 7. Between said groove and the outer edge of said slabs is a semicircular groove 8. On the inner side of the groove 6 said slabs are depressed at 9 for a purpose which will be hereinafter fully described. The inner edges of said slabs are rabbeted, so as tooverlap each other, and the slabs are so constructed that one of the rabbeting portions is longer than the other, thus forming a groove 10 between said slabs.

The end slabs 3 are provided on their bottom edges with a tongue 11, and a semicircular groove 12 intermediate said tongue and the outer edge of said slab. The top edge is also provided with a semicircular groove 13, for a purpose which will be hereinafter fully described. On the right side of the inner faces of said slabs 3, and near their outer edges, said slabs are provided with two perpendicular parallel tongues 14., forming a semicircular groove 15 between the two, said tongues being dovetailed inwardly, as shown at 16. On the left of the inner faces of said end slabs 3, and near their outer edges, said slabs are provided with a vertical groove 17, the central portion of the bottom of said groove having a semicircular depression 18, the side walls of said groove being also dovetailed inwardly, as shown in Fig. 4.

The side slabs 4 are provided on their bottom edges with a tongue 19, Fig. 5, and a semicircular groove 20, and on their top edges with a similar semicircular groove 21. Said side slabs are interchangeable, their outer edges on one side being provided with two vertical parallel tongues 22 and a semicircular groove 23, said tongues being dovetailed inwardly, while the opposite edges of said slabs are provided with a vertical groove 24, the central portion of its bottom having a semicircular depression for a purpose which will be hereinafter fully described.

The top slabs 5, Fig. 2, have their under sides depressed around the outer edges thereof and are also provided with a semicircular groove 25' in said depressed portion. Said slabs are also rabbeted, so as to overlap one another, the rabbeting portion of one slab being longer than the other, thus forming a groove 26, Fig. 1.

Having thus described the several parts of my invention, the same are assembled as follows: The base or bottom slabs 2 are laid, as shown in Fig. 2, and the groove 10, formed between said slabs, is filled with cement. The grooves (5 and S are also filled with cement and the end slabs 3 are set up, the tongues 11 fitting into the groove 6 and the semicircular groove 12 in the bottom edges of said end pieces registering with the corresponding semicircular groove 8 in the'bottom slabs 3,thus making a circular opening to hold the cement. lVhen the end slabs are in place, as described, the depression 9 is formed into a groove into which the cement runs, after which it is smoothed and allowed to set. The end slabs being in place one of the side slabs 4 is set up against one of said end slabs 3, the tongue 19 on the bottom edge thereof fitting into the groove 6 and the semicircular groove 20 therein registering with the corresponding semicircular groove 8 in the bottom slab for the purposes just described. The two parallel vertical tongues 22 in the side abutting the end slab fit into the groove 17 in said end slab, and the semicircular groove 23 in the side slab registers with the semicircular depression 18 in the end slab, thus forming a circular hole or opening 26 between the two. The dovetails 16 in the side slab are then directly opposite: the dovetails 16 in the end slab. The opposite edge of said side slab to the one just described is provided with a groove 24 and a semicirculardepression 25, identical with those in said end slab, into which the tongues of the side slab next set up fit and register, the dovetails coming together exactly as described. All the side slabs are set up in this manner, as shown in Fig. 3. Cement is then poured into said circular openings 26 between said side slabs, which runs down, filling up said openings, and running into the dovetails 16. This forms a tie which securely holds said slabs together and makes them practically integral and airand water tight. Ifconvenient, aband may be put around the vault before cementing in order to draw the slabs closer together. The top edges of the side slabs and end slabs are covered with a layer of cement which runs into the horizontal semicircular groove 21 therein, and the two end top slabs are laid in place, the depressed portion thereof resting on the top edge of the side and end slabs, the under side of said top slabs extending a short distance into the interior of the vault. The semicircular groove 25 in said depressed portion registers with the semicircular groove 21 in the top edges of the side and end slabs, forming a circular opening 27 to hold the cement. The central top slab is then set in place and cemented, as shown in Fig. 2. The outer edges of said top slabs do not extend as far as the sides and ends of the vault,

which discrepancy leaves room for another layer of cement 28, extending entirely around the top of the vault.

It can thus be seen thata grave-vault constructed of independent slabs assembled and set together as I have described is practically integral and is as strong and impenetrable as though it were of solid masonry or cement.

Having thus described my invention, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact construction herein set forth, as various slight changes might be made therein by those skilled in the art which would fall within the limit and scope of my invention, and I consider myself entitled to all such changes.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a portable grave-vault, the combination of base or bottom slabs having parallel grooves therein, end slabs having their inner faces near one edge thereof, provided with grooves, and provided with tongues on their inner faces near the opposite edge thereof, said tongues and walls of said grooves having dovetailed portions cut therefrom, interchangeable side slabs having one of their side edges provided with tongues, the other side edge provided with grooves, said edges having dovetailed openings formed therein, for the purpose of tying the several slabs firmly together after the introduction of cement, all of said end and side slabs having a tongue in their bottom edges adapted to register with a groove in said bottom slabs, substantially as described.

2. In a portable grave-vault, the combination of top and bottom slabs, end and side slabs having one of the edges provided with tongues, and a central groove, and their opposite edges provided with grooves, all of said edges having dovetailed openings formed therein for the purpose of tying the several slabs firmly together, after the introduction of cement, and a circular hole or opening between said slabs for the reception of cement, substantially as described.

3. In a portable grave-vault, the combination of bottom slabs, end and side slabs having their side edges provided with tongues and grooves, said edges having dovetailed openings formed therein, for the introduction of cement, means for securing said end and side slabs to said bottom slabs, top slabs adapted to rest on said end and side slabs, and constructed so that a layer of cement may be formed entirely around the outer edges of said top slabs, thereby making a complete air and water tight seal, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CLAYTON H. FRYER.

Witnesses:

E. W. ScHoLL, J. T. XANDER. 

